Watan-Israeli occupation authorities reopened the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Wednesday morning, after more than 12 days of closure.
The Jerusalem Governorate announced that “the occupation authorities have lifted the state of emergency imposed for the past 12 days, following the recent military escalation with Iran. As a result, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre has been reopened.”
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre holds immense significance for Christians worldwide, being one of their holiest religious sites and a major historical landmark in the heart of Jerusalem’s Old City.
It is noteworthy that Palestinian Christians from the West Bank are still banned from entering Jerusalem to pray at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or visit their religious sites in the city—this is the second consecutive year such restrictions have been enforced.
During the same period, Israeli forces had completely closed Al-Aqsa Mosque to worshippers, allowing only guards and staff of the Islamic Waqf to enter. The Old City was also sealed off, with entry restricted solely to its residents via military checkpoints erected at its gates. This lockdown led to the closure of businesses in the Old City under the pretext of “security concerns” due to the escalation with Iran.
Israeli forces continue to impose strict restrictions on access to Al-Aqsa Mosque, especially on Fridays, barring thousands of West Bank residents from reaching Jerusalem for prayer unless they obtain special permits to cross military checkpoints encircling the city.
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